Recently, a vehicle having a turbo engine has been rapidly increased for downsizing an engine and improving fuel consumption. Performance (such as engine output and fuel consumption) of the turbo engine is influenced by a cooling efficiency of an intercooler. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the intercooler is a significant factor of vehicle performance. When the cooling efficiency of the intercooler is improved, the engine output and the fuel consumption may improve as a charging efficiency increases.
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a structure of an intercooler according to a conventional art. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a cooling module for an engine cooling system and an intercooler for cooling charge air in a turbocharger engine are mounted to a front side of a vehicle such that cooling is performed by headwind flowing into an engine compartment during vehicle driving. In addition, a cooling fan for easily inhaling air and sending air to an engine is mounted at a rear side of the cooling module.
The intercooler may include a water-cooled charge air intercooler which cools the charge air by applying extra coolant and an air-cooled intercooler which cools the charge air by the headwind flowing thereinto through a radiator grille and an opening hole formed at a lower portion of a bumper cover. Among these, the water-cooled intercooler increases weight and cost because an additional device and the extra coolant are required.
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, cooling efficiency of the intercooler significantly decreases because the cooling of the charge air using headwind is difficult when a vehicle idles, whereby engine output and fuel consumption are deteriorated.